Finding Family
by Sabrina
Summary: When Marguerite and Roxton's daughter takes off it is up to them to bring her back. R&R Please!


**Finding Family**

**Disclaimer: **As usual, I nothing belongs to me, except maybe Elizabeth, but she's a free spirit. I don't think she would stay that long.

**Spoilers:** Nothing specific. References to a couple episodes.

**Status: **Incomplete.  

**Summary: **When Marguerite and Roxton's daughter takes off it is up to them to bring her back.  

**Author's Notes:** This story is going to be done in three parts.  This is the first.****

**Act One**

Marguerite charged through the streets of London on a warpath shouting, "I know she's in there over, John," over her shoulder.  Really, she couldn't believe it.  Her own daughter singing it that place, it was too much to bear.  And that fact that Elizabeth picked this place in particular made the hairs on the back of Marguerite's neck stand up.  Somehow Elizabeth had managed to find out about this chapter of her life, and it had been through her parents.

"She's definitely your daughter, Marguerite."  John said with a grin as he caught up to her.

"Oh be quiet.  I seem to remember quite a few scrapes we had to pull William out of because he wanted to be like dead old dad."

"Quite right, my darling."  John knew it was better to let Marguerite just stew so he silently walked beside her glad that he had longer legs than she did. Otherwise he would have had to run just to keep up with her.

Marguerite suddenly stopped and looked up at the building in front of her.  The sign proudly stated "Fat Mans Bar."  Pit. Marguerite added silently to herself.  One day I'm going to get them to change the name to Fat Mans Pit.  The bar had so many memories for her, and most weren't pleasant.  For a second, Marguerite thought her daughter deliberately picked this place just to cause her pain when Marguerite inevitably had to go get her.

Inside the bar, the smoky atmosphere hadn't changed any since she had last been here.  The patrons still were mostly male and the piano that Adrienne had once graced still sat in the corner of the little stage.  Marguerite turned around and walked up to the bar careful to keep her expression away from the fury that collided abounds in her.

"I want to talk to Elizabeth Smith."

Marguerite had found out about Elizabeth's stage act from an old friend of Roxton's.  However when he had mentioned his curiosity at her choice of stage names, Marguerite and John had just looked at each other in confusion.  They hadn't told their daughter much of Marguerite's infamous past, but it was too much of a coincidence that their only daughter had adopted one of Marguerite's many titles.

"She doesn't take visitors. The girl likes to be alone." The man replied in broken English.

"She'll see us, if she knows what's good for her." Marguerite said under her breath.

"What do you want with her?"  The bartender asked.  "You agents?  The girls got a beautiful singing voice."

Roxton stepped forth.  "Yes, we're agents looking for talent.  Now can we speak to her?"

"Why don't you wait and hear her sing.  She's coming up next."  The man looked mighty proud of himself, and Marguerite fought the urge to punch him.  Whatever he though Elizabeth owed him, he wasn't getting it. 

"Actually, we have already heard her sing, we would just like to talk to her."  Roxton told the aging man.  He carefully placed a hand on her elbow to keep Marguerite from jumping across the barrier and slugging the guy.

The bartender looked up and smile, his expression that of pure triumph.  "Well, I'm afraid you have to wait now, she's already on stage."

Marguerite and Roxton turned back towards the stage and looked as their daughter came sauntering out.  A sparkling red dress was moulded to her body showing the audience quite a bit of skin.  Marguerite heard Roxton hiss in anger, and she couldn't help but smile. Elizabeth was his daddy's little girl and had always been. Knowing John, their daughter would get a lecture about propriety as soon as they got back to the estate.  Marguerite just wouldn't tell that she had worn more revealing articles in her time, and theirs.

The lights dimmed as their daughter strolled towards the microphone and leaned slightly towards the audience.  "Our first number today, is going to be a favourite of mine.  It's called Devil May Care.  Suiting, don't you think?"  With a wink, Elizabeth straightened back up and cued the band to start.

//...No cares for me...//

Marguerite listened to her daughter sing and knew that her daughter's vocal teacher would be proud.  The girl had a beautiful voice and used it well.  The only problem was their daughter's perchance to see in some of the rather unpleasant locations that Paris had to offer.  Roxton had once commented that she was got it from her mother, the need to find the seediest place and thrive in it.  After one quick barb back at her husband, Roxton had never said anything of the sort again.  Until today.

//...Devil may care...//

Marguerite fought an onslaught of memories that being here and listening to a voice so like her own invoked.  For a second, through the haze, the scene on the stage was transported back 25 years to another young girl who thought she could escape her troubles by running away.  The girl's best friend accompanied her on piano and together the girls swept in more and more money.

"It's okay, Marguerite we'll get her home."  Roxton whispered into her ear.

"I'm not worried about getting her home, I'm worried what she will do once she gets there."  Marguerite took a deep breath and sighed.  "John, you just don't understand.  This life, it's addictive.  I only left because Adrienne had been..." Marguerite stopped for a second.  The death of her best friend was still too painful.

"I know, but I know something about addictions too.  You don't think hunting was something you did unless your very being called for it?"

Marguerite looked her love in the eyes.  Yes, he did know what it meant to live with an addiction and break through it.  

//...He who is wise to never tries to revise what's past and gone...//

"Why can't she just be happy with the local establishments?" Marguerite said, trying to lighten the mood.  "Really, running away to Paris?  Isn't that a little drastic?"

"Well, she is..."

"My daughter. Yes I know.  I just wish sometimes she didn't talk after all my bad habits."

Roxton pulled Marguerite into his arms and planted a kiss on the crown of her head.  "It'll be all right."

//...Devil may care...//

The crowd burst out in applause and Elizabeth's parents couldn't help but also applaud their daughter's abilities.  Soon, though, the crowd quieted and Elizabeth launched into the next song.  The rifts of "That Old Black Magic" swept through the bar and Marguerite used the time to gather her thoughts and steeled herself for the battle ahead.

The bartender led Marguerite and Roxton to the backstage area where their daughter was cleaning up after her latest act.  With a swift rap on the door, the star's parents waiting to be given an okay and then walked in.  The expression on Elizabeth's face when confronted with her parents was absolutely priceless.

"Mom, Daddy.  What are you doing here?"

All the resolve Marguerite told herself she would use with her daughter faded in an instant.  "Coming to get you.  You didn't think we would just sit back and let our only daughter run off into the night would you?  Honestly, Lizzie you should know us better than that."

"How could I?  Lately you and Daddy have been locked away in one meeting after another."  Elizabeth's bitter tone caught her parents off guard. They had been ready for screaming, fighting but not the bitter resignation they were being dealt.

"I'm sorry Angel."  Roxton started.  "We try to be there for you and Willie, but right now..."

"Yeah, I know, the country needs you."  Elizabeth said bitterly.  "People would think they don't have any other agents. You're supposed to be retired!"

Marguerite who had just closed the door, looked at her daughter in the eyes.  "This is not the time to discuss such things.  We're taking you home Elizabeth."

"I'm not going." 

"Elizabeth Anne Roxton," Marguerite said forcefully.  "You will accompany your father and I home or you will be left here on you're own with absolutely no funding what-so-ever."

Marguerite couldn't believe what had come out of her mouth.  When Elizabeth had first been born, she had promised herself that her childhood would not become her child's.  Yet, here she was threatening just that.  But now that the words were out, they couldn't be taken back.

"Fine."  The one word sounded so finally that Marguerite could help but cringe inwardly.

"Go, get you're things together, Elizabeth."  Roxton said resided.

As their daughter left the room Marguerite turned to her husband, "I don't understand it.  What happened?"

"We've been too busy lately, my dear.  On the plateau they got our undivided attention.  Here, they are faced with the realities of London society.  We tried to explain it to them."

"I know," Marguerite said finally.  "I just never thought it would get this bad."

"Neither did I, my dear, neither did I."

TBC

Please, please, please review. It will make me want to write the next parts a lot quicker. Thanks. 


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